Railway tlme-signal



(No Model.)

I S. H. HARRINGTON.

RAILWAY TIME SIGNAL.

Patented Aug. 5, 1890.

N v :WiCnesses: I

m: cams rngns cm, Puomu'rum, msmuowmn, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL H. HARRINGTON, OF BINGHAMTON, NEIV YORK.

RAILWAY TIME-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,566, dated August5, 1890'.

Application filed September 23, 1889. Serial No. 324,824. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern):

Be it known that L-SAMUEL H. HARRING- TON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and aresident of Binghamton, county of Broome, State 5 of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improved Signal-ActuatingMechanism, of which the following is a true and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification.

Myinvention relates to mechanism for actuating signals such as are usedon railways; and my object is to provide a device which can be attachedat will to ordinary railwaysignals, such as a semaphore-arm,and whichcan be actuated by a passing train, so as to draw the signal to theposition indicating danger and then automatically retain the signal inthat condition for any desired length of time.

In an application for Letters Patent filed by myself and John F. OBrien,August 24, 1888, and bearing the Serial No. 283,620, We have illustratedand described an attachment to a semaphore-signal arm consisting of apair of chambers adapted to contain a fluid and connected bypassages,through the upper one of which the fluid flows into the rear compartmentwhen the semaphore-signal arm is thrown up, and through the lower one ofwhich the fluid gradually finds its way back to the front departmentwhen the signal-arm is in ahorizontal position, the said connectedcompartments being rigidly attached to the signal-arm, and so arrangedwith respect to its pivot that the weight of the fluid will hold thesignal in a horizontal position when it is contained in the rearcompartment, and will draw it down to the position understood assignifying safety when it or a large pro.- portion of it is contained inthe front compartment.

I11 another application which I am about to file 1 have illustrated anddescribed certain improvements in the construction of a device foractuating the signal, which improvements are well adapted for use withmy present invention, and which are in part shown, though not claimed,in this application.

The nature of my present invention will be best understood after adescription of the drawings, in which it is illustrated, and its novelfeatures will be hereinafter clearly stated in the claims.

Reference being now had to the drawings, which illustrate my inventionin what I consider its best and most complete form,Figure 1 shows arailroad-signal post having a semaphore-signal at its top, arailroad-track adja cent to the said signal-post, a lever-arranged to beactuated by a passing train and in turn to actuate mechanism to move thesignal, said last-mentioned mechanism, however, not being shown in thisfigure. Fig. 2 is a front view of my preferred mechanism for actuatingthe signal; Fig. 3, aside view of the'same mechanism, and Fig. 4 asectional view showing my device for protecting the cord which extendsup from the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 to actuate the signal.

A is the signal-post, to which, by means of the pivot C, is connected abox B, which said box consists of two chambers b and b adapted tocontain a fiuid,apassage b,connecting the chamber B with the top of thechamber 6 and a passage 6 connecting the bottom of chamber 12 with thechamber 1). For convenience of description I have designated the end ofthe box which contains chamber 1) by the letter B, and that end whichcontains cham ber 11 by the letter B D is a catch-actuating deviceattached to the pivot-box B; E, a chain connecting the end B of the boxB with a weight F.

F is a platform to receive and sustain the Weight F.

G G are arms pivoted at g and having hooked ends g, constituting aretaining-catch to engage and support a weight H.

II is a platform placed to receive and hold the weight H when it isreleased by the arms of the catch.

I is a strap engaged with pins h of the weight H and connected with thesignalcord I.

I is a continuation of the signal-cord; J,a semaphore-arm, having acounter-Weight J; K, a rod situated beneath the weight H and moving inguides k K is a link pivoted to the lower end of the rod K and having aslot formed in it. i

L is a rod connected with the box 13' at Z and guided by a-bearing at Zand by a pin Z moving in a slot Z of the rod, the lower end of which rodis indicated by the letter Z M is a lever pivoted at N, having at whatIwill call its front end a pin m, movingin the slot 7a of the link K,and a surface m, lying beneath the end Z of the rod L. At its other orrear end the pivoted lever M is arranged so as to be depressed by thewheel Q of a passing train on the track P, as by a pro jection 0,extending close to the track, so as to be forced down by the wheel Q.

T is a frame or casting adapted to be secured to the post A, and in andto which the guides and supports for the catch 0, box B, weights II andF, anz': rods K and L are formed or supported.

R is a box or casting arranged to be secured to the post A to surroundand inclose the frame T and the parts support-ed upon it. From the upperpart of the box R, I extend a pipe-section S to inclose the signal-cordI, a larger pipe-section S with closed top titting over the pipe-sectionS, so as to slide freely upon it. The cord 1 is attached to the closedtop of the section S, and a cord I forms a continuation of theactuating-line, as shown.

The functions and mode of operation of the devices above indicated areas follows: The semaphore-signal J is of ordinary character, and can beactuated by any ordinary and well-known devices, as well as by the pecu-7 liar mechanism which I have shown in connection with it. This isdesirable, as it permits my peculiar device to be connected ordisconnected with the signal, as may be desired. Nhen usedin connectionwith my device, the signal is counterweighted so as to standnormallyinthe position indicatingdanger, as by making the weight J sufficient tocounter-balance the arm J and hold it in a horizontal position.Referring next to what I have called and will hereinafterterm thebox B,consisting of the chambers b and b connected by the passages b and b andpivoted on the post, so as to permit the chamber 1) to be thrown upabove the chamber 11 and to fall below said chamber, a quantity ofmercury is placed within this box and normally will all run into andremain in the chamber Z), causing the weight of that end of the box toexceed that in the end B occupied by the chamber 19 and depressing theend B below the position indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. WVhenbyany exercise of power the box B is i turned so that its chamber 1)will lie above which the mercury can fiow through the pas sage b fromchamber 19 into chamber b. Such a deviceis indicated by the chainEandweight F, which, when the chamber 1) is thrown above the positionindicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, act to draw down the box into theposition shown when the weight resting on the platform F serves simplyto hold the boxin that position. The mercury or other fluid in chamber19 can then flow through the passage 11 into chamber Z). The time duringwhich the boX B will remain in the substantiallyhorizontal positionshown in Fig. 2 being that required for a sufficient quantity of mercuryto flow through passage 6 in order to bring the center of gravity againon the side of box B in which the chamber b is situated. Theconstruction and mode of operation of the box B are, as I have beforenoted, shown, described, and claimed in the other applications to whichI have 'referred. I

The leading feature of my present device consists in so combining thesignal with the box 13 as to cause the signal to rise to the dangerposition when the end B of the box is depressed to remain in the dangerposition, while the box B remains in the substantially horizontalposition shown in Fig. 2,and to fallto theposition indicating safetywhen the end B of the box falls below the position indicated in Fig. 2,and this is accomplished in the simplest and most direct way byconnecting the signal-cord I I with the end B of the'box B, as byattaching it to an eye B. force tending to draw the signal to the safetyposition should be greater than that directly exerted by the mercury inthe box B, and accordingly I prefer to connect the signal-cord with aweight II, which in falling will draw the signal to the positionindicating safety, and resting on a platform H will hold the signal inthat position. Where such a weight is used, I provide a catch which will,hold it above its platform atsuch a distance arms G of the catch, whichmaintains the weight H in its uppermost position, are arranged in suchrelation with this cam that when it is turned by the falling of the endB of the box the arms Gof the catch are forced apart, releasing theweight 11, which then falls onto'its platform H, and, through the strapI and cords I and I draws the signal J to the position indicatingsafety.

In order to cause the passage of a train to set the signal to danger, Iprovide the appliance shown in the drawings, a guided rod K beingsustained in the frame T, so that its It is desirable, however, that theIIO end will extend beneath the weight H, and a guided rod L beingconnected to the box B, as shown. Upon the lower parts of these rods thelever M operates, and, as is clearly shown, whenever the end 0 of thelever is depressed its outer end is thrown upward, and, by means of thepin m and projection m it acts at the same time upon the rods K and L,thrusting them upward and simultaneously raising the weight H until itis engaged by the catch G and the box B until its chamberb occupies aposition above the chamber 12 hen the train is passed, the rods K and Lwill fall to their normal position, leaving the weight H in the grasp ofthe catch and permitting the weight F to draw the box B into theposition shown in Fig. 2, and the parts will remain in this position andthe signal in the position indicating danger until the mercury haspassed in sufficientquantityinto the chamber 17 to depress the end B ofthe box, which, in turning, opens the catch by means of its cam D andpermits the weight H to fall and draw the signal intothe positionindicating safety.

The purpose of the inclosingbox R and inclosing-tubes S S is to protectthe signal-actuating mechanism and the lower part of the signal-cord andprevent theirbeing tampered with or becoming inoperative by reason ofthe deposit of snow or ice upon them.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a signal-actuating device, a weight arranged to drawa signal tosafety, in combination with a catch arranged to hold the weight out ofoperation, a catch-releasing device, and a pivoted box 13, constructedas described and arranged to actuate the catchreleasing device andpermit the weight to fall, all substantially as and for the purposespecified.

2. In a signal-actuating device, the combination of a Weight adapted tobe attached to and act upon a signal-cord, a catch adapted to engage andhold the weight out of operation, a pivoted box B,constructed asdescribed,

and havinga catclrreleasing device attached to it and arranged torelease the catch as the box turns, a weight arranged and connected todraw-the box B to a substantially horizontal position, a rod arranged toraise the Weight connected to the signal, a rod arranged to throw up theend of box B, and a lever M, arranged to act upon said rods, allsubstantially as and for the purpose specified. SAMUEL H. HARRINGTQN.Witnesses:

THos. F. KEoelH, ASAHEL W. CUMMING.

